Blue Moon
by somebadhat
Summary: Set in season five. Instead of Eamonn being shot in Jacob Nighthorse's backyard, someone else takes a bullet.
1. Chapter 1

It all started so innocent. So simple.

The afternoon seemed no different than any other day. She only went to his house to talk about work. Granted, she could have called him. But she had become accustomed to meeting him in person when she could. She preferred to meet him face to face because honestly, she was still trying to put her finger on him. Each conversation was another piece of the ever-incomplete Jacob puzzle she was trying to put together. But she hadn't ever dreamed the result of the trip.

Cady was looking at the man in front of her. He had black hair that was cropped short on the sides and left long in the center. His chin had a grey goatee that added character to his long face. They were talking about work.

"I'm thinking about setting up a website and social media page for the legal aid center. It could really help raise awareness and spread the word about what I do," Cady said.

They were standing around Jacob's pool in his expansive backyard. In place of Jacob's typical business suit was a navy-blue t-shirt and dark jeans with leather boots, making him seem much more human. The birds carried a tune on the wind.

"Those fliers with your face on them didn't quite do the trick?"

She chuckled. "I think we can do better."

He nodded and played with the sunglasses he was holding. "If the website is going to cost any money, write up an expense report and it should go through," he said.

With a smile, she began to say, "Thank you," when loud pops made her ears ring. Jacob lowered his level and his head snapped around, looking for the source. Gunshots rang in the air and terror possessed her then.

There was another shot and Cady's legs collapsed out from under her like an invisible force took her use of her muscles right out from under her. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. She could barely move when she tried looking around for Jacob, needing to make sure he was okay. Her shaky hands reached out in front of her and she saw that they were bright red. It looked like she had dipped her hands in paint.

Jacob had a gun in his hands. Where did he get that so fast? He was firing shots into the woods. She thought gunshots would be louder but all the noises around her seemed muffled. What felt like the blink of the eye was all it took before he was at her side again. It sounded like he was saying words but they didn't sound like words. Her vision got blurry.

Hands were touching her gut. They pushed hard. The pain she felt seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, and this brought things into focus.

"Cady. Cady. Hey. Look at me. Stay with me." These words sounded like words. That had to be a good sign. Her vision cleared up a bit and she saw Jacob hovering over her with a phone pressed to his ear. His hands were still on her gut. She looked down at them and saw that they were bright red, too. Her clothes were soaked in red. It was all coming from her stomach.

"Jacob," she tried wheezing. It took nearly all her energy to speak. "Help me."

"I'm trying. Just focus on my voice, Cady. It's going to be okay."

Her breaths became hard to take in. They tugged on her remaining bits of energy, as if each breath said whatever you have left- give it all to this activity. This was her body's job now. Breathe. Breathe. Stay awake. Breathe. Go to sleep… no. Jacob says no. Stay awake, Cady.

"Dammit," she heard him say. Yes. Dammit. "There's no time to wait for anybody," he said.

Strong arms wrapped around her. As she was lifted into the air a flash of pain caused her to cry out. The back door to Jacob's SUV opened – somewhat roughly as he tried to balance holding her and pulling the handle – and she was being slid in. Her hands were being moved around to cover her stomach. "I know it hurts but I need you to press down there for as long as you can, Cady. Do you hear me?"

With a shaky breath she nodded. He got in the driver's side and started the engine quickly, throwing it into drive and taking off. She groaned in pain.

"You're going to be okay, Cady, we're going to make it to the hospital and everything will be-"

Words stopped sounding like words again. Her breathing was getting rapid and her vision was closing in. Everything that passed through the window looked like big blobs.

Jacob's voice was the last thing she knew before she was pulled under the warm embrace black nothingness.


	2. Chapter 2

Voices gradually invaded her consciousness. A rhythmic beeping was in the background. She recognized the voices – one was certainly her father. His voice was one she would recognize anywhere. The other voice, she had to focus on. It was sharp and frustrated. "No," it grumbled angrily. Jacob. The voice could only belong to him. "If you think I had anything to do with this then you are insane."

The room was cold. She was lying in a bed, partially propped up. Looking around, she took in her surroundings. A bleak hospital room seemed to be the setting. She turned her head back to see her dad and Jacob in the hallway just outside the door, looking like their conversation could turn to violence at any moment.

Jacob was getting ready to say something else, but her movement caught his eye. "Walt, she's awake," he said quietly. Her dad turned around and walked quickly to her side.

"Punk. Hey." He took his hat of his head at her bedside.

The significance of what she was waking up to didn't really hit her.

"Hi," she said hoarsely. In her attempt to speak, a twinge of pain came from her abdominal muscles. She looked down with a grimace on her face. Pushing the covers down, she was hoping to see what had caused all this trouble, but she was covered in a knee-length hospital gown.

"You were shot," her dad said.

"Yeah, I remember."

"How do you feel?"

"Like I was hit by a truck."

She looked past her dad to the hallway. Jacob was gone.

"Well, we're all just glad you're okay. Plenty of us have been taking shifts sitting with you. Uh, the bullet – it didn't go clean through. You had surgery overnight to dig the slug out and repair the damage, and it's mid-morning now. So you didn't lose too much time."

She only nodded. It was a lot to take in.

"Do you guys know who sho-" she stumbled over the word that seemed so unreal. "Do you know who shot me?"

Walt removed his hat and shook his head. "No. Not yet. But we're working on it."

Thinking about the comment Jacob made when she first woke up, Cady had a good idea who a top suspect was. "Promise me you'll leave Jacob alone?"

He shifted his hat in his hands. "I won't promise that." She gave him a scolding look.

"Dad. He's innocent. He was with me when it happened. And they shot at him too, not to mention he returned fire."

"Do you know how easy it would be for him to pay someone to shoot the sheriff's daughter in the leg in order to look like the sympathetic hero, only to have the aim be slightly off and land in your stomach? You're lucky you aren't dead, Cady. Somebody ought to pay for that," he exclaimed.

She pursed her lips. "Yeah. Somebody ought to. But it should be the right person, dad. I'm asking you to leave Jacob be. He wouldn't do what you're accusing him of."

He only remained silent. "Just… rest up, punk. You need it." He put a hand on her shoulder in a misplaced gesture of affection and put his hat back on his head.

She bit her cheek in frustration. His lack of a response was enough to reveal his intentions.

"Yeah, I do," she said quietly.

He left the room without a word.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Slowly but surely, this hospital was driving her crazy. At all hours of the night she was being woken up by some commotion. During the day time, Henry, Ruby, and Ferg made sure she was never lonely. As nice as that sentiment was, she needed some damn alone time. With every visit it only made her more anxious to see one person – the person she was with when she was shot.

A day had gone by since she woke up to hear Jacob and her father arguing in the hallway. She expected to see him back soon after her dad left, but he hadn't come back.

Not long ago she had finally gotten rid of Ruby. She had brought food from the Red Pony so they could eat dinner together in her hospital room. Though Ruby was reluctant to leave, Cady just told her a little white lie that Henry was going to be over as soon as his shift at The Pony was over. It worked well enough that it earned her some well-deserved solitude.

Aimlessly flipping through the channels on the television, nothing really interested her. She was ultimately too distracted by her own thoughts to settle into anything. Eventually she drifted off to sleep.

 _In her dreams, she saw scattered flashes of images. She saw her mom's beautiful face. She was walking through a meadow before plucking a flower from its stem, and she was smiling right at her._

 _Cady wished so badly she could just reach out and pull her mom into a hug and tell her how much she loved her and missed her. But as quickly as her mom's spirit had appeared, it vanished._

 _An owl on a lone branch of a tree appeared. It hooted softly at her, turning its head to reveal its eerie golden eyes. The owl's call echoed in her ears. Behind the tree stood a man with his back to Cady. Even though she could only see him from behind, she knew it was Jacob. His business suit, unique hair and stature gave it away immediately._

 _There was a loud shot in the background, then another shortly after. Gunshots. She called out to him. "Jacob!" she yelled._

As soon as she called his name, she gasped back to wakefulness. A warm hand on her arm was pulling her into reality.

Unfortunately, reality was painful. A sharp ache in her gut made her breath hitch in her throat. Opening her eyes, she saw Jacob was sitting in a chair by her bed, calmly leaned forward to rouse her from her slumber. It was dark outside, nighttime. She looked at the clock. It was 11:00pm. Her room was mostly dark, only light from the hallway filtering in dimly.

"It sounded like you were having a bad dream," Jacob said. He was looking at her curiously.

"Yeah. Kind of," she said. He pulled his hand off her arm and sat back. She tried and failed to read his expression. "How long have you been here?"

"Fifteen minutes, maybe. I tried to come when I wouldn't be interrupting one of your dad, Ferg, Henry or Ruby's shifts. This is the first time you've been alone while I dropped by."

She smirked. "Fair enough. They try their best to make sure I don't spend too much time alone, regardless of the fact that I do need it occasionally."

"Understandable. I value my privacy, too," he commented. He held her gaze for just a moment of silence. Tilting his head to the side, he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it and kept his words in. She only looked back, waiting for him to speak. "I'm sorry you were shot, Cady," he said quietly. His eyes betrayed a deep grief.

She looked at him quizzically. "Why? There was nothing you could have done."

"I suppose not, no. But I'm still sorry," he said. "It was clearly a message meant for me." He paused and took in her puzzled expression, made with wide ice blue eyes. "Do you remember when I told you that sometimes force is the only thing people will respond to?"

He was referring to what he said just after she killed J.P. Wright. "Yes," she answered.

"Well, I think somebody else had the same idea about me," he said softly. His eyes were locked on hers.

She quietly pressed her lips into a thin line and considered what he said.

"I figured as much. You know, I guess I should actually say thank you," she remarked. Jacob raised an eyebrow curiously in response. "You got me here in the nick of time, I was told."

"Ah. Yes. Well for that, you are welcome."


	3. Chapter 3

Today was Cady's first day at home by herself again. She had checked out of the hospital not long after Jacob had visited her – the next morning she was on her way out. It was sooner than the doctors wanted her to leave, but she had to get out. To avoid worrying her dad or Henry, she convinced Mandy from the legal aid center to come pick her up from the hospital in exchange for an extra day of paid vacation. If Henry or her dad thought she was doing something reckless or harmful, then she would really never be rid of them.

In her first hour of being home, all she did was sit on the couch and read her favorite book, _The Secret Life of Bees._ Her copy was old and tattered and had notes in the margins and all her favorite quotes underlined.

Eventually, though, she inevitably had to pee. Balance was admittedly not her strong suit right now as a mixture of pills, pain, and injury impaired her walking. She clutched to the walls as she shakily moved through her bedroom and into the master bathroom. Deciding it was only worth the walk once, she grabbed a thin strapped tank top and a pair of underwear from her dresser on the way. She might as well get her shower out of the way so she didn't have to make the journey all the way back again.

Any movement that involved using her abdominal muscles was difficult. She grimaced as she bent over to run the water of the shower. While she waited for it to warm up, she slowly hobbled over to the toilet. Sitting was a relief. Getting back up was the hard part, taking two tries.

Once she was under the stream of hot water she let out a low moan of relief. She found her lavender scented soap and began lathering her body, being mindful of the place the bullet had been just a day and a half before. The shower felt phenomenal but standing for so long had her feeling light headed. She washed her hair and face quickly, wanting to just get back to the couch and crash for a nap.

The metal handle for the water was cold on her skin as she turned it off, her hand shaking the whole time. She reached out and grabbed her towel shakily. Drying off as quickly as possible, and more so on the sloppy side, she weakly stepped out of the tub and staggered once she was out. She slid her panties up her hips and over her bottom, slapped a new patch of gauze on her wound, and brought her tank top over her top half.

Making her way back to the living room, inch by agonizing and shaky inch, the wet bathroom floors didn't provide enough friction. Already dizzy, Cady's foot came slipping out from under her and she was falling quickly. She landed with a thud on her back and gasped loudly and the air was forcefully taken from her lungs. The pain was overwhelming, and she was seeing spots. She tried her best to breathe but found herself hyperventilating painfully. At least one stitch had probably been ripped out.

"Fuck," she whispered.

Reaching out for her phone which had clattered to the floor next to her, she knew she had to call someone. She likely wasn't going to be able to stand up without some assistance. With a huff and a grimace, she called Henry, but the line went to voicemail.

"You've got to be kidding me," she huffed.

The next number she dialed was that of Jacob Nighthorse's. Cady knew if she called her dad she would likely be scolded and calling Ferg, Ruby, or Vic would lead to her dad ultimately knowing how bad of shape she was really in.

The line rang twice before Jacob picked up.

"Hello," he answered.

"Jacob, hi," she responded, aware of how strained her voice sounded.

"Is everything okay? You don't sound too good," he said. His own voice was thick with concern.

"About that. I actually could use your help. I fell down at home and maybe ripped a stitch or two. I could really use a hand getting up and back into the living room," she confessed.

"I'll be right over."

The line clicked and Cady had nothing to do but wait for him. She took a deep breath and brought herself to a sitting position, cursing at the effort. She leaned against the wall and sat there catching her breath further.

It wasn't ideal that Jacob was coming to her aid while she was in a pair of panties and on her bathroom floor, but it was what it was.

She heard the front door opening followed by footsteps in the direction of her bedroom.

"Cady, can I come in?" he said from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yeah, come on in," she replied.

He pushed the door open and slowly entered, his eyes finding her on the ground. There was a bloodspot on her tank top where her wound had begun bleeding again.

With an unexpected amount of patience, Jacob slowly helped Cady to a standing position. He bared most of her weight, knowing her body was weak from the pain. Instructing her to put an arm around his neck, he supported her till they reached the kitchen. He helped her to a seated position in a dining chair.

"Do you have wound care supplies nearby?"

"In the bathroom."

He left to go find it. Upon returning, he got close enough that he completely invaded her personal space, less than a foot between them. It made her breath hitch in her throat and her whole body tensed up.

"May I?" he asked, looking into her eyes cryptically.

She nodded. He pushed her tank top up to expose her abdomen, his fingers grazing the bottoms of her breasts as he did so. She replaced his hand with hers, holding the shirt up and out of his way. There was no doubt in her mind that her face was flushed from the close contact.

When his fingers brushed her skin, it left a tingling sensation behind. He quietly took her spent gauze off to look at the wound. He tenderly cleaned away the drying blood and patted it dry. As he worked on cleaning her wound, she watched his face intently. He was so focused on the task at hand, it was mesmerizing. Jacob has a fierce gentleness that only a man like him could possess. Placing sterile gauze around the site of the stitches, his fingertips lightly pressed the edges down. He finished and looked back up to Cady, who was watching him closely.

With her tank top pushed up to only cover her breasts and just a pair of panties on her bottom half, she realized the level of exposure she was experiencing in front of her boss. She might as well have been in a bikini.

Without a warning, he stood up and walked back to her bedroom. He returned with a fresh tank top and a pair of sweatpants from her dresser. It was as if he read her mind. He knelt to the floor and move the sweatpants over her feet and up her ankles.

"Here," he helped her to stand. He pulled the sweatpants far enough up that she wouldn't have to bend over to retrieve them. with one smooth motion she pulled them up over her butt and felt better about her coverage situation.

"No stitches are ripped. It just started bleeding again but it should stop soon."

"Good," she said with a nod. "Thank you."

He busied himself with cleaning up his supplies. "Maybe it would be in your best interest to stay with someone for a couple days. Just till you get a little stronger."

"My dad and Henry are both so busy with work they're never around anyways. It'd be pointless."

"I know it wouldn't be ideal, but my home is always open to you," he offered.

She smiled slightly but shook her head. "Thank you, but I couldn't possibly."

He raised an eyebrow subtly. "You sure?" he asked skeptically. Standing up, he turned and put the remaining gauze away. "Being here alone doesn't seem to be working out for you too well."

She grimaced. "I suppose it isn't. But I really would hate to be a burden."

"I think I owe you a favor anyways," he said.

"Really? I thought it was the other way around."

"How about this," he began. "I will forget the favors that you owe… if let me make sure you don't kill yourself by being clumsy on your own."

"Sneaky," she said. She looked down at her stomach where a bullet had torn through her body. "Alright, it couldn't hurt."

"I'm going to go put this back," he said, referring to the cleaning supplies. "Give you a moment to change your top."


	4. Chapter 4

When they arrived at Jacob's house, he walked next to her, one arm wrapped around her waist to support her. The pain was especially bad after falling in her bathroom. Afterward she had popped a couple pain pills in her mouth, but they had yet to kick in.

They walked over to the kitchen.

"Have you had anything to eat yet tonight?" asked Jacob.

At home she hadn't gotten around to making any food, so she hadn't had anything since breakfast at the hospital. Her stomach was grumbling at the suggestion of food.

"No. I had actually planned on ordering in some Chinese food to avoid cooking, but that didn't exactly work out," she said with a smirk.

"Chinese food it is, then," he said. "What do you want?"

Hallelujah. She would kill for some chicken fried rice right now. They ordered their food over the phone and sat there in what was admittedly an awkward silence.

Jacob left the room to hang up their coats and change from his work attire.

Cady took this opportunity to look around at the walls and note the traditional decorations. A bow and quiver hung near the dining table, along with a framed arrow.

Jacob walked back in, looking as dressed down as she had ever seen him. In place of his suit pants and light blue button down was now a t-shirt and heather gray sweats. She raised her eyebrows upon his reentry but said nothing. He did not miss her expression, though.

"Are these all artifacts?" she asked.

He looked at what she was eyeing and put his hands in his pockets. "Yes, they are. Very old and valuable."

"And very beautiful," she commented.

"Yes. Beautiful indeed," he said. She turned her attention from the Cheyenne artifacts. Jacob wasn't looking at the artifacts, though. He was staring right at her. The doorbell rang, making her jump and let her off the hook for a response.

She moved for her wallet. "Here, let me…" But Jacob was already gesturing for her to put it away.

"I've got it," he said. He paid for the food at the door and brought it back to the kitchen.

Dinner was good, and conversation was light. She'd never really known a side of Jacob to be relaxed like this, but she supposed he couldn't be serious every moment of his life.

At one point she had a big bite in her chopsticks but crossed them and sent rice and chicken flying. It was even in her hair. The incredulous look on his face sent her into a hysterical laugh, bad enough to make her stomach ache, but she still couldn't stop. A bit of the rice landed in his hair. Laughs still shaking her, she reached out and brushed them off the top of his head.

"I swear it's the pills," she laughed.

He scoffed. "I'm sure they have you on the good stuff," he said.

"Hey, I'd like to think I'm the mess you'd wear with pride," she said. The corners of her mouth were lifted into a smirk.

"I don't know about that," he replied. There was a hint of a smirk on his lips.

After dinner, they'd rested on the couch. She had tried to convince him to watch a movie with her, but he insisted he was more of a book guy. In the end they ended up talking about the book she had brought along with her, her very favorite book, and she promised to lend it to him sometime. She was even going to let him read her copy with her notes and quotes, which she assured him was an honor.

In the guest bedroom, she laid awake all night. She couldn't stop replaying how normal her day was, how normal the very moment was before she was shot.

She reached out onto the nightstand and turned her lamp on. Pulling _The Secret Life of Bees_ out, she flipped to a page with the underlined quote she was looking for. She skimmed the words, 'Someone who thinks death is the scariest thing doesn't know a thing about life.'

Pressing the book into her chest, she sighed somberly. This is what her mom told her when she was diagnosed with the cancer. It was her mom's favorite book, too. Overwhelmed by the past few days of her life, tears threatened her eyes. She blocked them with the best distraction she could think of.

Flipping back to her bookmark, she continued reading until the stirrings of a sunrise were showing through the window.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Jacob started his morning off with a run. There were paths through the woods on his property he used to jog. He preferred nature over a treadmill, it was far less boring and he liked the fresh air. The padding of his feet made a rhythmic beat on the earth with each stride.

Last night around 4:00am he got up for a glass of water and noticed the light on under Cady's door. He came close to knocking on the door and checking on her, but something stopped him. He didn't trust himself. And right now, he was kicking himself for not trusting himself. Or rather, the reason. There was a young _employee_ as a welcome guest in his house. And his thoughts about her were far from pure. He shook his head as if to shake out his thoughts about her and ran a little harder.

Cady was sitting on the couch, reading her book when she noticed him out the window. He was jogging towards her. She watched him as he came back up to the house.

Slowing to a walk, he opened the glass door to the living room. Sweat was dripping down his temple.

"You have a nice run?" she asked. With a stretch she yawned, the effects of her lack of sleep apparent. She couldn't sleep at the hospital and it wasn't getting any better. This did not go unnoticed by Jacob.

"Uneventful enough," he replied.

"I suppose that's better than the alternative," she said, looking at the spot where her stitched were beneath her shirt.

He turned his head towards her with a raised eyebrow. "Too soon?" she asked innocently. He just chuckled and shook his head.

Later on, Cady offered to order in food again. Jacob said no takeout- he will cook and do the dishes.

"Mind if I join you while you cook?"

Jacob placed her arm over his shoulder and steadied her as they walked into the kitchen side by side. Her heart fluttered at the closeness they shared when he helped her stand. He was wearing casual clothes again, jeans and a plain t-shirt.

He pulled out his supplies and began methodically slicing bell peppers. She sat with him, quietly watching him focused on the task at hand. This was one thing she loved about Jacob. His intensity showed through in so many facets of his life – his business dealings, his facial expressions, his choice of words… hell, even his relationship with her father.

He added his peppers to a pan and began cooking them. They were having fajitas tonight. Strangely enough, she vaguely remembers mentioning in passing a while back that they were her favorite. Part of her wondered if he remembered this, but she chalked it up to coincidence.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Lying wide awake in the guest bed, she couldn't help but expect tonight to go about as well as last night. Her book on the nightstand was calling her name, so she opted to try a few chapters hoping it would relax her.

She was just finally able to slip away into a light sleep when the sound of shattering glass pierced her ears. She sprang from her slumber drenched in sweat.

A window must have been broken. Someone was trying to get in. _Shit_ , she thought. She was desperately looking around, trying to grab anything she can use to defend herself. It occurred to her that she might want to get a gun considering how frequently her life was in danger.

Whoever was breaking in could be in the house and Jacob could have no clue. Cady had to get to him.

"Jacob!" The strangled cry came out of her throat, her muscles painfully resisting with each move she made. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, getting ready to hobble over to the door. "Jacob!"

Jacob came into the room confused and on alert.

"What's going on?" he said.

"I – I heard a noise. I think someone is breaking in."

He looked at the window then back to her. His eyebrows were raised tactfully and he extended a hand in her direction, hoping to calm her. Her eyes were wide with fear and her torso was rigid, like she was ready to flee if only it didn't hurt to move.

"That noise was me. I dropped a glass in the kitchen." He looked down at her frantic form and felt a wave of grief. She looked like a dog that had been kicked. "Hey." He sat down on the bed next to her and wrapped her in a warm embrace. His arms made a protective cage around her and she melted into him. "Nobody is going to hurt you again. I won't let that happen."

"How can you be so sure? My mom was in Denver for a cancer treatment and she was stabbed behind a dumpster. I was talking to my boss and I was shot. I came this close," her voice cracked desperately, "To sharing the same fate as my mom. My dad almost had to go through his wife and daughter both murdered."

He sighed. She was right. He couldn't protect her from everything. "I know." His hands smoothed her hair, trying his best to bring some level of comfort to her.

"I can't sleep," she whispered.

He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I know," he repeated softly. Making up his mind, he snaked one arm under her legs and brought her into his lap. A gasp of surprise left her lips. In one smooth movement, he stood up, holding her bridal style in his arms. Jacob walked through the house to his bedroom, setting her softly on the usually-empty side of his bed.

The gun that was apparently concealed in his pants with an inside-the-waistband holster was set on the nightstand. She was surprised she didn't feel the gun when she was in his lap.

Without a word, he unbuttoned the jeans he was wearing and pulled them down. He was in an undershirt and blue boxer briefs. His back was to her so she took no shame in raking her eyes over every inch of him. Her gaze lingered on his exposed legs and fabric-hugged backside. To her displeasure, he pulled out a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and slipped them over his hips. Too bad, she thought. He pulled off his undershirt and her interest piqued again. The ropey muscles on his back moved under his skin and he opened the top drawer of his dresser and pulled out a fresh shirt to sleep in.

On his side of the bed, he slipped under the covers and slid one arm under his pillow. His eyes met hers, and a sense of comfort washed over her. Everything was okay. She imagined there was something he wanted to say to her, but to speak would make him more vulnerable than he already was. After all, he had invited her into his bed. It didn't get much more personal than that. So he just turned onto his back and laid there with his arms behind his head, looking up to the ceiling. He glanced at her sideways one last time before closing his eyes.

As he drifted off to sleep, she looked over at him. His face was so calm and peaceful. Handsome.

There was a tightening in her gut, a rush of excitement from being so close to Jacob. It came as a surprise to her when she realized she had a strong desire to touch him.

He sighed softly and shifted slightly, moving just a little closer to her in his sleep. She held her breath.

Lying on her side, she relaxed and tried to focus on getting some sleep. She needed it desperately. Allowing her muscles to loosen up and her mind to calm, she too drifted off to sleep.

It wasn't till hours later that she woke for the first time. She was so hot it was beginning to make her sweat.

The reason she was so hot was somewhat embarrassing. She had curled up to Jacob in her sleep. Or he had curled up to her. Either way, their bodies were entwined. His arm was wrapped around her and she was on her side with her head on his chest, her leg in between his. She should move, she knew. But it felt good. Against her desires, she did.

Extracting her leg carefully, she tried to bring herself back to her side. Jacob tightened his grip reflexively and let out another deep breath. She extracted her arm and scooted over to the edge of the bed, deciding to get up and go to the bathroom. Standing up as quietly as possible, she hobbled slowly over to the bathroom.

At the sink she splashed water on her face. Jacob was her boss. There _had_ to be boundaries. There just had to be. Without them, things were murky and confusing. Popping a pain pill in her mouth, she gulped it down and sighed.

She shuffled back to Jacob's bed. He was lying in the same position as when she left. Climbing back in, she stayed right at the edge of the mattress, facing him. She thought she saw the faint outline of his open eyes in the dark, but rolled to face the wall, preferring not to know. All she could hope for was that he had been asleep the entire time they were entwined and would know nothing of it in the morning.


	5. Chapter 5

They woke up next to each other. When Cady opened her eyes, she saw that Jacob was awake and watching her. She wasn't sure what she saw in his expression – maybe interest, maybe even a hint of desire. She said nothing at all and just looked back. There was probably a slight flush in her cheeks. She could feel how warm they were.

He pulled back the covers on his side of the bed and walked slowly to the bathroom. The water from the shower was turned on. Lying there feeling amazing after her first good night of sleep since she was shot, she stretched out and breathed deeply. Jacob's bed was damn comfortable. It was like a cloud and a bed of roses combined. She vaguely wondered how expensive it was.

She glanced up when she heard the water turn off. Trying not to picture Jacob naked, drying off as he finished his shower, was nearly impossible.

The door to the master bathroom opened and Jacob walked out. His hair was wet and he had only a towel wrapped around his waist. Water on his skin nearly brought Cady's jaw to drop, but she managed to hold it closed.

"Forgot to bring a change of clothes in… force of habit," he said.

She gulped as she watched him grab his clothes and walk back into the bathroom.

 _Holy shit_ she mouthed to herself. Thoughts of his body pressed into hers last night invaded her mind. Each place a curve of his body fit into hers… She pushed the arousal that was forming deep in her stomach back down, willing to go back from wherever it came. Something in the way he moved pulled her in like gravity. But there was no way she could think about Jacob like that.

When he came back out of the bathroom he was wearing dark wash jeans and a plain white t-shirt. The look was very James Dean. Like _that_ helped.

He aided her stand and she walked to the bathroom on her own.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

The day had drifted by slowly and uneventfully. The sun was nearing time to set and it was making the sky turn a beautiful shade of orange.

In the evening she had returned to the guest room bed reluctantly – assuming last night was a one-night exception. It went about as well as her first two nights had gone. It was late, 2:30am, and she was awake.

A knock came at her door and it cracked open a bit.

"Cady?"

"Yeah," she answered. She rested her book on her chest and he stepped halfway into the room, half his body hidden behind the door.

"I saw the light on. If you can't sleep…" he trailed off. The look on his face said, _just come back to my room with me._

And so, she did. He stepped forward and helped her stand up, although she hardly needed it anymore. But she let him anyways because the little contact gave her a secret thrill.

They were lying in his bed together in silence. Cady was reading her book and Jacob doing some work for the casino on his laptop. As he typed the keys made a clacking noise.

She was trying to focus on her book, but all her thoughts were leading back to inappropriate musings about Jacob. Her wound was healing up and she was steadier on her feet. And she had a bad feeling that the longer she stayed, the more things would be blurred between them.

"Um- Jacob."

"Yes?" he responded distractedly, typing away on his laptop.

"I think – I think tomorrow I'll be ready to go home. I'm feeling stronger and I don't think I'll be needing help anymore," she said tentatively.

His typing stopped and he looked up from his computer. He gave a small nod and said, "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Me too," she said with a soft chuckle.

He turned his head to look at her. Her smile faded at Jacob's seemingly serious expression.

"I hope you don't mind my asking. But when you were dreaming in the hospital, you said my name in your sleep." He closed his laptop and set it aside.

"I did?" She had no idea. The tone of the conversation shifted to a more personal note.

He just nodded. There really was no question asked, but Cady knew what he was implying. He was curious as to why.

"Well, I was dreaming this… perfect dream. My mother was there. We were in a meadow and she was picking flowers. And you were there too, in the distance. Your back was to me but I could tell it was you. And then there were gunshots out of nowhere, and I don't know if I was hit or if you were, but I yelled for you in my dream. That was probably when I said your name in my sleep. That's when you woke me up." She was bouncing her knee anxiously as she told this. It wasn't often she spoke of her mom these days.

"That explains it," he said with his lips pursed. His eyes pierced hers. Resting his hand on her knee, he stopped it from bouncing. She looked down at where his hand was and back up to him.

Kissing Jacob was high on her list of things she wanted to do. It was also high on the list of things she should _not_ do. They were playing a dangerous game, and she didn't know why she didn't just put a stop to it. She just wasn't sure what Jacob was getting out of all this.

Despite all of it, gravity was pulling her towards him. Once she was already looking at his lips that way and leaning in, her intentions were revealed. She could see in his eyes that he knew what she was going to do. There was no reason to stop now, so she leaned in further, her lips tentatively touching his.

When she found herself deepening the kiss, she expected Jacob to pull away. She never expected his mouth to open to hers, never expected to feel his tongue sliding by her own. She never expected Jacob to respond like he did. But his body shifted towards her as his hands captured her body, holding her close. It was long and lingering.

They slowly pulled apart. Cady's eyes remained closed for just a moment, afraid to open them and ruin the moment. He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled it away from her face. She opened her eyes to see him gazing into her eyes. He looked conflicted. Reaching up, she covered the hand holding her hair with her own. Her nose grazed his lightly.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

He shook his head. "I don't know," he murmured. He stood up off the couch and walked a few steps away.

After a few moments, he left the room. Stepping outside, he closed the glass door behind him. It looked like he was going for a walk. Cady kicked herself for thinking it was a good idea to try to kiss him. How could she be so stupid?

[L] [L] [L] [L]

After 40 minutes when Jacob had still not returned, she started to worry. Malachi did want his head on a silver platter, after all. She walked out to the living room and looked out the window into the backyard.

Either he never went for a walk or had been back a long time ago because he was just sitting on a chair by his pool. His elbows were on his knees and he looked deep in thought. Opting not to bother him, she walked back to the bedroom and changed into a flannel and soft shorts to sleep in before climbing under the sheets. Tomorrow she could go home and try her hardest to un-ring the bell she had rung with that kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Jacob rolled over with a weary sigh and looked to the ceiling. The bed was empty, leaving him to his solitude.

He hadn't been able to fall into a comfortable sleep until late last night. The fact of the matter was he didn't trust himself to be around her. After a very silent walk last night, he had retreated to a seat by the pool to think. It was some time before he had given in and gone to back his room to see Cady curled up, clutching the blanket to her chest in her sleep.

By the time he did get to bed, he slept restlessly, guarding against his desires to curl up with Cady. He groaned at the thought. _Curl up_? _With Cady_? He really was in a pitiful state. It wasn't an impulse he was keen on having, let alone curbing.

The clock read 7:24am. It was early. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he rubbed his face with his hands tiredly. He felt like he could sleep another hour, but he needed to get up and make some coffee. His hands left his face and he reopened his eyes.

The door to the bathroom was open a couple inches. Through the gap in the door he could see the mirror, and Cady emerged in the reflection. Curiosity overtook his instincts, and he watched her silently. She was standing there in her underwear and the flannel she had slept in, he assumed getting ready to change.

He should have looked away but he didn't. Her fingers were slowly undoing the buttons on her shirt, top to bottom, each undone button exposing more of her chest. As she was reaching the last button she inadvertently glanced into the mirror. She met his eyes in the reflection. Instead of turning around to close the door, she froze in place.

For a long moment, neither of them moved. With her gazed locked on his, he realized it was wrong to be watching her this way. He should say something, do something, turn around, leave the room. But all he could do is stare at her.

He expected her to suddenly close the door or cover herself, but she didn't. She only held his eyes, willing him to continue watching her. There was a mixture of hesitation and longing in her expression that only made her more beautiful as she let her shirt fall from her shoulders, leaving herself completely exposed to his eyes. Her body was perfect, every line and curve as stunning as the rest.

Jacob wanted to walk into the bathroom and take her into his arms right then and there, knowing she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

Standing up, his eyes held Cady's. It took all his self-control, but he stepped back. He forced himself to look away.

Walking out of the bedroom was all he could do to keep himself from taking her right there. He shoved his feet into his running shoes harder than necessary and pulled his shirt over his head. In the shorts he had slept in, he started his morning jog early today.

He ran. He ran long and hard. His strides were faster than usual, internal conflict driving him to frustration, which transferred into his running.

They'd been getting along ever since he hired her, and even last night, he knew they'd already been getting closer than they should. But the fact that he was actually beginning to like the domestic situation he found himself in with Cady- that he was beginning to like Cady- threw him off completely. And when Cady had dropped her shirt, revealing her alluring body, Jacob had snapped. Literally.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Jacob had left on his own quite a long time ago. From the bedroom window Cady had seen him jogging towards the tree line and knew he had done this as a form of self-control. She wished she could say her self-control was as strong, but it wasn't. She would have had him right then and there if he would have taken her.

Unfortunately, the last word on the subject had been spoken. It wasn't happening. In fact, it was for the better. She had crossed a line, and it couldn't be uncrossed. Instead of fixing things like she had wanted to do, she made them worse. While he was gone she resolved to do as she had said last night and gather her things to go home. It was time.

She knew she wasn't supposed to carry heavy loads, but she was feeling good so she carried her bag out to the porch. She was standing in the backyard by the pool, allowing the sun to heat her skin when she saw him jogging back.

Jacob emerged from the same place he did yesterday. He must have taken the same path. He looked like he was heading deliberately towards her, not towards the house. Bare chested, his skin glistened with perspiration.

Watching the entire time he approached, she wasn't sure what to expect when he finally reached her. At his final few steps, her stomach churned nervously. He looked… determined.

He took her hand and led her inside, his fingers entwined with hers. There was a hunger in his eyes that spoke of his intentions with her.

Cady thought she might die if he decided this was a mistake. But it was Jacob who led them inside, Jacob who kicked the door shut. And it was Jacob who took her face in his hands, bringing his lips down to hers sensually. He touched her boldly, his hands moving with purpose between her thighs.

This snapped Cady into action. She parted her thighs invitingly, feeling a thrill as those hands moved higher. Looking into his eyes, she saw it – a desperate need for contact, for physical intimacy. Her hands were fumbling with his jeans, her lips brushing against his teasingly.

He pressed her against the wall and deepened their kiss, his tongue sliding against the tip of hers. Bringing his hands down her body, he searched for the bottom of her shirt. It came over her head and was haphazardly discarded onto the floor. He rubbed her along the seam of the soft shorts she was wearing and she titled her head back and moaned.

"Bed," he murmured against her lips.


	7. Chapter 7

They were lying in bed together quietly. She had thrown on one of his button-down dress shirts and climbed back in. He was lying there with nothing but a sheet covering his lower half. As she climbed back in bed, he wrapped one arm around her, vaguely resembling the position she found herself in her first night in his bed.

"I have a question," Cady said.

"Then ask it," he replied. His thumb was rubbing back and forth across her shoulder.

With her cheek against his chest she could hide her eyes, making it easier to say such personal things. "Are you aware that we spent a couple hours cuddling in our sleep two nights ago?"

He looked down at her. "Yes, I'm aware."

"I thought I might have woken you up when I… untangled myself. I wasn't sure, though."

"You did. But I had woken up once before. Not sure how we ended up that way, though."

"Ah. I kind of wondered about that."

"About what?"

"Who started it," she said with a chuckled.

She sighed in contentment and closed her eyes. He held her like a woman in a way she'd never felt before.

Tugging at the dress shirt she had thrown on, he asked, "Why did you do that?"

Her eyebrows were knit together in confusion.

"Cover up," he elaborated.

"I don't know. Felt natural. I'll let you take it off of me if you join me for a shower. We both could use one," she said.

He nodded his agreement and they moved into the bathroom.

"Try not to fall this time," he said sarcastically.

She shot him a dirty look as he ran the hot water.

They stepped into the shower under the steam of hot water. It only took a moment before they were holding each other, letting the water roll down their backs. Her head was rested on his shoulder, her arms against his chest. Jacob's arms were wrapped around her and he rested his temple on her head lazily. They were completely relaxed. Earlier was about lust but this… this was more. This was about closeness, about affection.

"This feels good. Not the water... well yeah, the water. But just being together like this is nice." Her eyes closed in bliss.

"It is," he agreed. Being chest to chest, he could feel her little heartbeat against his skin. Keeping her against him, he reached out with one arm to grab the soap. He lathered up and down her back, massaging her muscles and rubbing in circles where he met knots. She moaned and curled into him.

"If you keep making noises like that, I'll be ready for another round in no time," he whispered in to her ear.

She chuckled lightly. "I really do have to go home soon. Henry called about coming to see me yesterday."

Jacob turned Cady around so her back was flush with his chest. He lathered the soap over her chest and arms, his fingers splayed as he touched her. He did this slowly, inch by inch. She took the soap from his hands and turned back around to lather his chest. His hands stayed connected to her body. As she returned the favor and massaged his muscles, she could see his eyes were fixated on the 4-inch stretch of stitches on her abdomen.

"It doesn't hurt," she whispered.

"That's a lie."

"Maybe. But it's over with."

He drove her home and walked into the house with her, carrying her bag of clothes for her. She closed the door behind them and took her bag with a thanks and walked to her bedroom momentarily to set it on her bed. Jacob stood there with his hands in his pockets by the door.

Cady walked back and crossed her arms, leaning against the wall.

"Now what?" she asked.

"Now I leave."

She nodded. "Yeah. Henry is coming over soon. But that's not exactly I meant."

He pulled his hands out of his pocket and walked over to her with his chin held high. "I know," he answered. He placed a hand on the side of her face, kissing her cheek. "We don't have to have it all figured out this second." He wrapped his arms around her tightly and moved his lips to her mouth. Cady felt her attachment to him growing with each touch, each kiss.

"Okay," she agreed.

"I guess I should get going."

"You're probably right." She reached out to touch his face and he caught her hand and pressed it against his lips. She remembered her father doing this very thing to her mother.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Now that Jacob was the sole occupant of his house again, things were quiet. He had made himself lunch and opted to catch up on some work, although he didn't have too much left to do.

The low rumbling of a vehicle making its way up his driveway caused him to look up from the paperwork that had his attention. Unexpected visitors tended to leave a sour taste in his mouth. Standing up from his work, he walked out to his driveway. The sheriff's Bronco was just parking as he got out there.

Walt Longmire stepped out of his truck and slowly walked over to where Jacob was standing expectantly.

"Sheriff. To what do I owe the visit?"

He pulled out a pair of handcuffs and grabbed Jacob by the arm. "Walt, what the hell-"

He started cuffing Jacob, one hand at a time. "Jacob Nighthorse, you're under arrest for conspiracy, aiding and abetting, and accessory to the attempted murder of Cady Longmire."

"Unbelievable. Do you even have a warrant to arrest me?"

"I don't need one. You're guilty. I'll prove it somehow."

"Jesus, not only do you not have a warrant, you don't have any evidence. You know you won't be able to hold me," he growled.

"You have the right to remain silent," Walt said. He continued reading the Miranda Rights to Jacob as Jacob gritted his teeth angrily. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court." He tightened the cuffs till they were too tight on Jacob's wrist, like a game of Uncle. But Jacob was too stubborn to say anything, so he just clenched his teeth as his wrists were crushed.

"You're going to regret this."

"I doubt that." Walt replied coolly.

"This is a sick joke," Jacob spat. "And you need help."

Walt only responded by pushing Jacob towards the Bronco. They rode silently back to the station, Jacob staring out the window the entire way. Upon arrival he was put into the jail cell and locked in. The deputies just went about business as usual for a while, as if he wasn't there, until Walt came out of his office to let Jacob know he had one phone call. Walt ushered him over to Ferg's desk and pushed his shoulders down to force him into the desk chair.

"Is that necessary?" Jacob said bitterly.

Walt didn't bother with a response. He just moved the telephone closer to Jacob.

Dialing Cady's number from memory, he glared up at Walt and turned his back in his direction. It rang three times before he heard her voice on the other end. He sighed in relief.

"Hello?"

"Hey. It's Jacob," he said.

"Jacob?" The confusion in her voice was evident. "This is the station's number… please tell me this isn't what I think it is."

"Listen… I know you're not working right now. But I need you. Walt arrested me for accessory to the shooting." He was keeping his voice low. Walt was just behind him, watching and trying to listen to every word.

"God," she sighed.

"He doesn't have any proof. He just locked me up. I need you to get me out of here before he tries to send me to Tri-county jail. Malachi would have me killed within 24 hours."

"Of course. I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Okay. Goodbye."

"Bye."

He placed the phone back on the desk. Looking back up to Walt he held his wrists up mockingly. "Alright, Big Chief," Jacob said.

Walt nodded towards the cell.

"Back in you go."


	8. Chapter 8

The door to the station at the top of the stairs slammed open. Cady entered the police station angrily. She was breathing heavily and one hand clutched her side. It was clear it was painful for her to make this journey up to the station, but nobody in the room could mistake that Cady Longmire was seeing red right now.

Jacob was sitting on the cot in the corner, watching Walt approach Cady through the bars. Vic was on the corner of her desk next to Ferg. They were both nervously watching and waiting for what was to come. When she came into Jacob's line of sight his head snapped up and his eyes pierced hers, clearly glad to see her. She looked away, needing to focus.

"Punk. I already know what you're here for, and it's not happening."

"Dad. Open the cell door and let him out."

"I'm not going to do that, Cady," he answered.

She reached into her purse and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "That's not up to you."

He looked incredulous as he read the paper. "This is a court order. You went over my head?"

"You didn't leave me with a choice."

He stared back at her, at a loss for words. She stared back defiantly, although it nearly broke her heart to do so. She hated being on terms like this with her father.

Walt threw the letter down on Ferg's desk and pulled the keys off his belt. Unlocking the cell door, his actions were made sharp and choppy in his anger. His jaw was clenched the entire time. Jacob stood up and straightened his jacket indignantly. The door opened with a creak and he stepped from its confinement.

"Jacob, go wait for me by the car," she instructed coldly, her eyes still trained on her father. She needed to talk to Walt but Jacob being in the room would only escalate her father's anger.

"Gladly," he muttered, looking at Walt smugly as he passed by. She glanced by him briefly as he passed by, making sure he was okay. The door closed with a thud behind Jacob and the room became silent enough to hear a pin drop.

Walt was glaring down at Cady with disappointment. "You had a choice. It's clear now that you've chosen Nighthorse over me."

She sighed. "No," she simply. "I'll never choose anyone over you, Dad. I love you. And nothing will ever change that. But _you_ chose him over me. You chose your blind pursuit of Nighthorse. We may never know who shot me. Or maybe we will, and there's no guarantee we'll be able to get the justice I deserve. But you need to accept that."

"I'll never accept that. Never." Walt's voice rose sharply.

She just looked at him sadly. "What you did to Jacob was false arrest and false imprisonment. I have no control over what happens after this, but you'll be lucky if he doesn't bring a lawsuit against you after this because you just abused your power. Some free legal advice: stop arresting people without cause." This came out harsher than she meant it, and she kicked herself for that.

He put his hands on his hips. "I know when someone is guilty and when someone is innocent."

"You're a better sheriff than this," she said, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I know because I've seen it, when I was growing up. You have to change. Because honestly, Mom would be sad to see you this way."

That must have struck a chord with Walt because he was completely silent. His face showed a pained expression. "I don't know how to change. I'm just doing my best, punk"

"The hardest thing on earth is choosing what matters. I know you tried. I know you're cursed. I feel that way too sometimes."

She stepped back and shook her head. Her dad only watched her with a broken expression, each word leaving her mouth leaving a new wound. Vic was in the background as if she wasn't sure if she should jump in and defend him or not. Cady was glad she had chosen to stay out of it.

"But I know your best was still your worst. You can be better than this, Dad."

She shook her head one last time, her heart filled with so much sadness at her father's behavior. Turning on her heel, she slowly ambled back down the stairs and across the street to her car.

Jacob was waiting in the passenger seat. She opened the door on her side and sat in the seat, resting her head back against the headrest in frustration. Closing her eyes, she took a couple deep breaths. This much activity so soon after her surgery was knocking the wind out of her. She reached out and clutched his hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked him finally.

"Yes, I'm fine," he responded. "Are you?" She wasn't sure if he was referring to her obviously painful but healing gunshot wound or what happened after he left the building.

"It hurts like a bitch. But I'm fine, too." It dawned on her she was probably referring to both. It hurt to talk to her dad that way, too.

Opening her eyes, she turned to look at him. They met each other's eyes silently. He could see how tired she looked, although it wasn't a physical tired. It was an emotional state of exhaustion after her conversation with her dad. She wanted to apologize to him for what her father had done to him, but she knew it wouldn't make any difference.

"What did you say to him?"

"I'll tell you about it later. I'd better get you home for now."

It wasn't till then that she realized she must have completely stopped the circulation in Jacob's hand. That's how tightly she had been holding it. She looked down at the linked fingers and loosened her grip, but he regained his grasp on her.


	9. Chapter 9

_Three weeks later_

Jacob was sitting at his desk, going over some emails on his computer when there was a knock on his office door. Standing up, he walked over to the door to see who the unannounced visitor was. Upon opening the door, Walt Longmire stood there stiffly. Jacob merely left the door ajar and walked back into his office.

"Here to arrest me again?" he asked. His expression was steely and cold. He pressed his lips into a thin line anticipating Longmire's response.

"Not this time. Just came to talk."

"Then talk," Jacob said shortly.

"Well, uh…" Jacob could see he was struggling to spit out whatever he came here to say. "I guess I came to say I appreciate – um – you not suing me." Walt cleared his throat and looked to the ceiling as though he could hardly stand the words coming out of his mouth.

Jacob only raised his chin proudly. "It wasn't for your benefit." He stared at Walt for a moment, sizing him up. There had to be a reason Walt was pretending to apologize. He failed to believe Walt would ever sincerely apologize to him.

"Was it for yours then? So maybe the next time you need to cover up a crime I'd be a little more forgiving?" he asked.

"It wasn't for my benefit either." His eyes pierced the sheriff's. The sheriff's implication that he had covered up a crime in the past irked him, but he let it slide.

Walt put his hands on his hips. "So Cady's then," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

A knowing look passed between the two men. Yes, that was why. Jacob nodded in his silent response. Walt's eyes were narrowed but he said nothing else on that subject. He got the feeling Walt didn't like the idea of him wanting to do anything for Cady's benefit. Little did he know.

"Well, for whatever reason…thanks, I guess." It was then that Jacob realized Walt was being genuine. He wasn't quite sure how to take that.

"You're welcome."

"Next time I arrest you, I promise it will be with just cause and a warrant."

"How generous of you," Jacob said flatly.

[L] [L] [L] [L]

Cady was having a long day in court. It was her first day back at work and she was crazy busy because everything was backlogged by a month.

At the end of the day she plopped down on her couch and kicked her feet up.

She sighed and closed her eyes, almost ready to go to sleep right then and there. So much work, so little time. She had actually been too busy to take a lunch break. Her stomach was grumbling unhappily but she was too comfortable to do anything about it.

The doorknob on her front door was turning. She cracked her eyes open to see through the glass. Jacob was on her porch, heading in as she watched silently.

"Hey."

"Mm, hi."

"You look tired," Jacob said. He had a plastic bag in his hands. He lightly kicked the door shut behind him.

She must have looked as bad as she felt. Good to know. "Exhausted," she responded. "While I was on leave after my injury, it appears the world kept turning." She sighed and put her chin in her hand, looking up at him. "What's in the bag?"

He walked over to the couch and set it on the coffee table. "Takeout." He sat next to her and pulled her feet into his lap. Carefully, he pulled her heels off and took a foot into his hands, massaging it quietly.

"What kind?" she asked, an excited edge to her tone. Her eyes were wide in anticipation.

He smirked at her excitement. It must have really been long if she was eyeing the bag of food like that. "Mexican," he said, his lips curled up subtly at the edges, amused by her reaction.

She snatched it off the table and put it in her lap. Opening up the takeout box, she grabbed a hold of a burrito with both hands and took a massive bite out of it. A groan of satisfaction left her lips.

"I knew I kept you around for a reason," she joked.

"Glad I could make myself useful." He set her foot down and picked up its twin.

"I forgot to take a lunch break today. I'm starving." She took another bite into her burrito. "Scratch that, I didn't forget. I actually just didn't have time whether I wanted to take it or not."

"Things should return back to normal soon. In the meantime, I'll send my assistant over to the legal aid."

"You sure?" she asked.

He simply nodded and continued massaging her feet. She set her food back down on the coffee table and straddled his lap. Lightly kissing him, her hands skimmed the trimmed sides of his hair. She loved it. His hands gripped her thighs possessively and sent her pulse fluttering.

Kissing him again, it brought her right back to the moment they reunited after they had left the sheriff's station.

 _Cady had dropped Jacob off at his house once again, the site of his false arrest, and they parted ways. To her surprise and disliking, they went a week without speaking. But Jacob found himself at a crossroads. The legal team was telling him to sue Walt, but he was holding off because he wasn't sure how Cady would react._

 _Suing meant possibly losing the bond they had found together, and not suing meant he was letting Walt get away with doing whatever he wanted._

 _Cady had been staying home, reading her book, but Jacob was on her mind every other minute of the day. After unanswered phone calls and texts, she got the message. Jacob wasn't going to respond. She sent him an email telling him the day she planned to end her injury leave and resume work at the legal aid center, but it was purely business. Even that he didn't respond to._

 _As the days passed one after the other, she found herself becoming more and more angry with him. After their contact had ceased, she was coming to think that whatever they did was just a notch on the belt and nothing more._

 _It wasn't until a week had passed as she was in bed one night, book in hand and almost dozing off, that she got a phone call from Jacob. She was surprised to be hearing from him so late._

 _She picked up. "Yeah," she said._

" _I'm outside. On your doorstep," was all he said._

 _Her eyebrows raised in surprise. She was glad he couldn't see that though. Keeping her tone cool and aloof, she asked, "What'd you do that for?"_

" _I just want to talk."_

" _That's what phones are for. See how well this is working?"_

" _Cady." It was a silent plead for her to just come let him in._

 _She'd hung up the phone and wrapped a robe around her otherwise-exposed body. Taking her sweet time, she walked down the long hallway leading from her bedroom to the front door. Hesitating before opening up the door, she did, but she left the screen door closed. He had been standing there in a worn-out suit and tie, waiting for her to come out._

 _The light of the moon had been filtering down brightly that night, casting long shadows on his face._

" _Hey."_

" _Finally felt like talking to me?" she asked him._

 _He put his hands in his pockets. "I've been busy. There are some things I'd like to discuss."_

 _She stepped outside onto the porch past the screen door and stood in front of him with crossed arms, waiting for him to continue._

" _My legal team has a lawsuit pending against Walt. For the wrongful arrest. And they're waiting for my okay to push it through."_

" _And?"_

" _And in the past, I would have given the okay. But now… it's more complicated." He was looking at her unreadably. His skin was glowing blue under the moon._

" _It's always been this way with you two. It probably always will. That's what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object."_

" _I don't know what to say. Men come in different shades. It's how we're made," he said. "But I don't want you to think what happens between your father and I has to affect what happens with us."_

" _I'm not sure they'll ever be completely separate," she replied. "And I wasn't aware anything was still happening with us."_

 _Jacob stepped forward and reached out for her, "I've been too long on my own. I don't know how to do this." She stepped back as he stepped in. He looked exasperated. "What, this is it?"_

 _She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know."_

" _Tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it."_

 _She met his brooding eyes boldly. "Do whatever you have to do, Jacob. I can't tell you. Just… if you choose to show him some mercy... just know he's not evil. He just isn't the same since my mom died." His eyes were roaming her face, and he reached out again. Cady didn't recoil this time. His hands met her waist._

" _Is that what you want? For me to show him mercy?"_

" _I can't tell you that." She paused with a sigh. Looking into his eyes, she knew she was helpless against what she felt for him. Jacob was the sun and she was caught in his gravity. "I want you to tell me if this is lust or love," she said softly._

" _It's both." He pressed his lips to her throat and she melted him into him. Wrapping his arms around her, she finally conceded and put her arms around his neck, returning the gesture. "Let me come inside," he said. He kissed her throat again, causing her eyes to close at the sensation. Moving his lips up to her jaw, he kissed her, then the corner of her mouth, finally coming down on her lips. It was slow and feverish, and Cady couldn't stop the moan that started in her throat._

 _In stark contrast to the first time they were together, this was slow and unrushed. Lifting her into his arms, Cady wrapped her legs around his waist, their lips never disconnecting, and he gripped her below her thighs. It floored him when his hands felt that there was nothing below the robe. He walked through the house, straight to the bedroom. He laid her down on the end of the bed, coming down with her as her legs stayed wrapped around him. Immediately he returned to lavishing her body with kisses. On her neck, her collar bone, in the space between her breasts, right on top of her scar… While they were moving together, he whispered in her ear over and over that it was love._

She flashed back to reality at the sound of his voice.

"Something interesting happened today. Your dad came to see me at the casino." Her stomach dropped, afraid to hear what was going to come next.

"Oh, lord," she said, her eyes wide.

Jacob continued, "He came to talk to me. It was… almost an apology. But not quite."

"What did he say?" she asked incredulously. She hadn't spoken to her father since the day she came to sheriff's office with a court order to release Jacob. It was no secret she had hurt her father's pride that day, and probably damaged his image of her. That had been almost a month ago – probably the longest they had gone without speaking to each other since her mother's death.

"He thanked me for not suing him – in as many words. And he promised the next time he arrested me he'd have a warrant. But I had a feeling he said that just to keep it from sounding too friendly."

"Wow," she said. "I did not see that one coming."

"Me either."

"Even more so because he called and asked me to come over to the cabin on Saturday," she said.

He raised his eyebrows. "Sounds like the sheriff is turning a corner. Did you agree to meet him?"

"Yeah, I did."

He pressed his lips into a flat line. His eyes were on her, observing her. "Do you plan on telling him about us?"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. It really hadn't crossed her mind that it was an option. "I wasn't planning on it. it seems like a quick path to another shooting," she joked. "Did - did you want me to?"

He only shrugged. "Someday. I don't expect we'll want to hide forever. But I agree that now isn't the time."

Her heart soared knowing eventually he wanted her dad to know about them. She kissed him softly. "Yeah. Someday. Maybe not Saturday, though."

[L] [L] [L] [L]

She pulled up to the cabin and saw her dad sitting on the steps of the porch, a mug of tea in his hands.

As she made her way toward him, he shot her a relieved look. "I'm glad you came," her dad said.

"I told you I would." She sat down next to him. They quietly stared out at the beautiful mountains and scenery before them.

"I know, I just… after the last couple of weeks I wouldn't have blamed you if you didn't."

"I'm always going to show up, Dad. No matter what."

"Um, would you like a cup of tea?"

"I'm okay, thanks, though."

"I wanted you to come here so I could tell you that uh, I've decided to leave Nighthorse alone. At least when it comes to the shooting."

"Really?" she said.

"Yeah, I believe you, that Nighthorse didn't do it. No guarantees about anything else, though," he said with a smirk.

She chuckled and shook her head. "Baby steps."

"What you said at the station was true. Your mom wouldn't have wanted to see me like that. She would have knocked some sense in to me a long time ago." He was looking out at horizon. "I'm sorry you had to be the one to do it. I'm going to try to be better, Punk. Really."

She was processing what he said. "I'm sorry I had to do it, too. But she'd be glad for you right now."

"I know." He set his cup of tea aside. "What do you say to breakfast at The Busy Bee?"

"Sounds good." She smiled up at her dad, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders.

THE END


End file.
